Of soul and steel
by Val the Doctor
Summary: The grand city of Khalingar is a cold, dark place, with cold, dark inhabitants. What will happen when their king gets transported to halkeginia by a certain red haired individual? "What do you mean there's nothing under that armour?" First fanfic
1. Chapter 1 (improved)

**So, uh, welcome to my first fanfic, i don't really have much to say other than enjoy the read and leave some good criticism**

Of soul and steel

It was night in the city of Khalingar, snow was falling gently from the sky, as it has since time immemorial.

When one looked up at the night sky, they would see a hole, hole that devoured anything that could venture high enough, all that has ever come out of the unnatural phenomenon, was snow.

Endless, yet ever gentle snow.

There was not a soul out on the snow covered streets, save for the occasional patrol of knights. Were one to look closely, they would see nothing but pure blackness in the slits of their frost covered helmets.

A grand castle sat at the city's edge, at the foot of a mountain, it's highest tower reaching up into the heavens.

like everything else that graced the dark city of Khalingar, this castle had a gothic architecture, to the point where one might mistake it for a cathedral, in this grandest of castles, there were no humans, there were no animals keps as pets, nay, not even rats infesting the kitchen.

Only armor.

Suits of amor graced nearly every room, save for the occasional storage room, these suits of armor came in nearly all shapes and sizes, there were the guardsmen, plated from head to toe, little room for excessive movement, indeed, for why would they sprint, or jump, when their sole purpose was to guard?

Strangely there were also suits of armour that resembled dresses, made mainly of chainmail, and not nearly as much plate, with helmets in the likeness of a beautiful woman's visage, they would appear in the ball room, the stargazing room, and a few in the throne room as well.

It was in that very room, their king sat, on His frosted throne.

Indeed, for the most unique of the suits sat on a black, frost covered throne, wich reached halfway to the cieling of the greatest room in His grand castle.

To start, unlike the rest, His armour sported no chainmail, but a hard leather like substance wich ran segmented on His thighs and biceps, His clawed gauntlets had engravings running along the edges of it's plates, His helmet had a simple plate that went from His eyes to His chin, above said plate was a piece of metal that was bent in a V shape, giving His helmet the vague likeness of a dragon.

A sleek cuirass graced His chest, like His gauntlets it was engraved, it had a triangle shaped plate the start from His neck and narrowed at His abdomen.

A leathery skirt ran from His hips, halfway down His thighs, accompanied by several uningraved plates.

His leg armour too was engraved, having a simgle plate to protect His shins, His calves too were protected by a single plate, with another coming out from beneath it to protect the rest of His leg, underneath was a pair of pointed, segmented shoes.

Perhaps his most unique trait was not His armour but His hair, blood red hair, wich, if He was standing up, reached from beneath His helmet all the way down to the back of His knees.

Two simple holes were present in His helmet, carved between the simle plate

and the V shape wich were to be His "horns".

However, unlike any other armor that would grace the dark city of Khalingar, this one armor had eyes, inhuman, crimson eyes with slit pupils, they were not part of a whole eyeball like the eyes on a human, no, these beastial eyes were simply there, like two moons in the distant sky.

These eyes, that hair, that masterly crafted armor, belonged to a king.

The king of Khalingar,

His illustrious majesty, King Ravik Alphonse Von Ziegler Zerbst.

But He was no human, for no human would disgrace His city, the grand city of Khalingar. Like every living thing that walked the streets, He was an armor spirit, formerly an inhabitant of a diffrent realm of existence, given a permanent presence in this realm by being bound into a suit of armor.

The being responsible for doing this was none other than His court sorcerer, Brimir le Reimir Yuru Viri Vee Varutori.

This suit had a coat of chainmail and the same leathery substance that graced his king, a hood sat upon his head, what was visible of his helmet was shaped like a birds beak.

A staff rested in his hand, as tall as he was, a beastial eye gracing it.

Were one to inspect this staff closely, they would see the eye moving, glancing in diffrent directions, looking for something.

The King's subjects danced and twirled about, as if waltz music was being played, but it was silent, only the clanking of plates and rusteling of chainmail were the sounds that graced the throne room.

"All except my court sorcerer may leave." King Ravik commanded, His voice cutting through the noise like a knife, the armor spirits obeyed, soon the rusteling and the clanking faded, leaving nothing but dead silence in the room.

"Brimir" the king said, His voice sounding like it could split mountains, the metallic undertone given by His helmet made His voice even more impressive.

"Yes, your majesty?" The sorcerer asked, his voice was light and young, almost like a child's, wich was not surprising, given he stood as tall as the king, but only when the king was sitting.

"What is this tug i feel at my soul, the slight pull at the edges of my conciousness?" The king asked, with a carefully hidden tone of curiosity.

"It is like when i open the birdge between our home and Khalingar, it-" The sorcerer was interrupted.

"Khalingar IS our home, boy, continue" The king corrected, slighty irked, wich the sorcerer noticed.

"Y-yes my king, it is like the bridge between worlds wich hangs above our home, but somewhat smaller, more focused."

The sorcerer explained, this gained king Ravik's attention. "Are you suggesting that someone, or something has enough power to reach across worlds and pull at MY soul?" King Ravik said, not believing anything could rival His sorcerer's power, he was young, but his magical ability was second only to King Ravik's.

"I-it would appear so, your majesty." The sorcerer meekly said.

"And where, pray tell does this, this "bridge" originate from?" The king asked, impatience lining His voice.

"I don't know, your grace, all i can tell is that it's not coming from this world." The sorcerer quickly explained.

"Then find it, i will not have some some lower being tearing my soul from my body, not when i have no heir, to the throne!" The king commanded, and His sorcerer obeyed with a quick "yes your grace!"

as he left, leaving the king to do nothing but try to study this odd tug on His soul.


	2. worries, crushes and planning genocide

**Two days after the events of chapter one, King Ravik's castle, throne room, No pov**

King Ravik Alphonse Von Ziegler Zerbst was not happy.

It had been 2 days since he ordered His court sorcerer, Brimir, to investigate the source of the ever growing

pulling on His soul.

The sorcerer had not brought news of any progress yet, and the pull was growing stronger, He was being

called out to.

Somewhere out there, there was a being with enough power to summon His already bound soul,

wich should have been impossible.

Once a spirit of His realm was bound to an armor, they would be bound until it's destruction.

Lately, He began having visions of another world, one teeming with magic.

He saw plains of grass, far stretching desert lands, a lush forest with tall trees, and...

Humans...

Humans, wretched creatures, so frail yet always fighting, if not among each other, they would fight anything that was strange,

anything that was an unknown to them was immediatly percieved as a threat, to be destroyed.

He would know, He fought humans, first with them, then against them.

And then he destroyed them.

The humans in this realm were all but extinct yes, but a few still roam around in cattles in places no one would look for them.

The fact that humans existed in the realm he was being pulled to was... troubling, to say the least.

Perhaps he was reaching the end of his life, and his own personal hell awaited him, far from the familiar gentle cold of Khalingar...

King Ravik was pulled from his thoughts when the doors of the throne room swung open to reveal a lone armour spirit,

this one was female, a simple leather hood sat on her head, under it, a helmet with no visible eye holes.

Het leather cuirass had a metal breastplate attached to it, a darker shade of leather covered her biceps, with simple metal

bracers decorating the rest of her arms.

Her legs were covered with the same dark leather that decorated her arms, as for boots, she wore a lighter shade of leather boots

that reached halfway up her thighs, with round metal kneeguards and metal toes, two slightly curved serrated swords hung from her hips.

This was annabelle, commander of the human hunters.

"Annabelle." King Ravik began, his voice just as impressive as it always was despite his condition.

"My lord, news of your... situation has reached my ears, i wish to help in any way that i can"

Annabelle said, her voice was youthful and it seemed to gently flow into your ears, as

Opposed to king ravik's voice, wich would shake one to the very core.

"Visit my court sorcerer in his grand library, and tell him to bring a report of his findings, wether they be good or bad.

Then, ready your hunters, i may have need of them in the near future."

Annabelle took a deep bow, then left as quickly as she had arrived.

 **Half an hour later, King Ravik's castle, grand library, brimir pov**

My nerves have never been this tense before, two days have passed since King Ravik gave the order

to investigate the force that's tearing at his soul, yet i have achieved nothing, and i know his condition is worsening.

If i don't find out where this force is coming from, we may lose our king, and without an heir to the throne, we may lose our

kingdom as well.

Yet i can't find anything, i can't see where this force is taking our beloved king.

My only hope of knowing anything at all is if i let my king be taken, then track him across the fabric of reality, but that is a gamble.

A gamble with wich we may lose our king.

I don't want to do that, it's too-

I was brought out of my worried thoughts as the door to my sacred library was kicked open, revealing annabelle.

She told me something but i was too lost in the great curves of her armor to actually understand it.

I notice i have been staring, annabelle noticed too.

I was brought out of my musings as she speaks "you done admiring?"

"Y-yes, annabelle, sorry for that. What are you here for anyway?"

I ask as i feel my helmet heat up ever so slightly.

"Our glorious monarch, King Ravik, asked for a report on your findings, good and bad."

She speaks in that heavenly voice of hers.

"Will do, i'll deliver it shortly was there anything else i could help you with?"

I ask in vain hope

"No, that was all"

Was all she said as she left as quickly as she arrived.

 **Half an hour later, King Ravik's castle, throne room, no pov**

King Ravik felt the pull on His soul getting stronger, ever so slowly.

By no, He was certain that it was not just his soul that was being tugged on, but His whole being, armor and all.

"So i will not be in completely unfamiliar territory, small mercies."

He said quietly to himself, as quiet as He could be with a voice like that, at least.

The giant door to his throne room was slowly opened to reveal brimir, His court sorcerer.

"My king, i've come to notify you of my findings, as you ordered."

He spoke with poorly hidden nervosity.

"Tarry no longer then, speak!"

The king ordered

"Y-yes my king, i cannot trace the force that is siphoning your soul, but i have an idea on how i can discove-"

The magician said panickingly as he was interrupted.

"I know where it leads to, a world rich in natural seasons, magic... and humans"

Said the king with a grave tone in His voice.

This shocked the sorcerer.

"Humans? I didn't know they existed anywhere else!"

"They shouldn't, i have an idea with wich we may finish our work concerning the humans, an idea with wich i need your help."

king Ravik said

"How may i be of service, King Ravik?"

The court sorcerer asked

"We will await the day when the pull grows strong enough to take me to the other world, when that time comes, you will track me, you will open a dimensional gate, through wich my armies may finally render humankind extinct!"

King Ravik said, gaining a look of wonder, and concern.

The court sorcerer was about to object, the risks were too great, but he was beaten to the punch

"My lord, i must object! The risks of this plan are too great ignore!"

Annabelle spoke, after she came in unannounced.

"Ahh, annabelle, i see you still haven't mastered the art of knocking."

King Ravik said with an undertone of humor

Annabelle looked ever so slightly offended

"My lord, you jest, yet the matter is grave, you would leave Khalingar leaderless in your absence, not to mention you may not return."

She spoke with a hint of concern, to wich King Ravik replied

"But i shall not leave my grand city without a leader, for you will be queen regent until my eventual return"

He said, shocking the commander of the human hunters

"B-but, my lord, i cannot accept this great honour, to lead khalingar."

The commander said while stuttering

"You can, and you will, this is my word as king of khalingar, that you will lead this glorious city in my absence."

King Varik spoke as He stoop up straight for the first time in quite a while, He stood a solid eight feet tall, adding

even more to His already impressive and intimidating aura.

"Y-yes, my king, i will lead this city until the day of your return"

To this, King Varik sat down again, and dismissed the two armour spirits, leaving Him to His thoughts.


	3. Veeeeery distant family

**Author's note: so sorry for my bad grammar in the earlier chapters, i'm still mastering everything**

 **That's all, have a great read and leave some good critiscism**

 **Three days after the events of chapter 2, King Ravik's castle, King Ravik's chambers, no pov**

King Ravik Alphonse Von Ziegler Zerbst was nervous, but He hid this well,

for a king should be the very picture of power, not something that is easily swayed by emotions.

But He had good reason to be nervous, the force that pulled Him towards the other world had grown very strong,

to the point He could barely retain consiousness, indeed He could almost smell the filthy humans that walked upon it.

The time was nigh, soon He would walk across the void between worlds, He only had to wait a little longer...

 **At the same time, halkeginia, tristain academy of magic, Kirche 3rd person pov**

Meanwhile in the other world, halkeginia, as it's residents called it, Kirche Augusta Frederica Von Anhalt-Zerbst was nervous.

The time for the springtime familiar summoning ritual was drawing near, tomorrow to be exact.

She was absolutley certain that she would summon a much better familiar than that girl from the vallière family, louise.

She had no idea what awaited her...

 **8 hours later, tristain academy of magic, courtyard, Kirche 1st person pov**

Today was the day! Today i was going to summon the most beautiful familiar ever!

I am finally going to show that vallière brat why the zerbst family has always been better than hers!

 **Same time, Khalingar, King Ravik's castle, throne room, King Ravik 1st person pov**

Today is the day...

Today i am going to travel between worlds, brimir has finished preperations for my departure, as has annabelle.

Everything is in place, i will go, my sorcerer will follow, and with him, my armies.

The pulling at my soul has become a tearing force, i struggle to keep my grip on reality.

My servants are kneeling before me, guardsmen in their heavy plate, nobles in their chainmail,

and my side stand the commander of the hunters and my court sorcerer.

"You would have heard the news by now" i began speaking, while noticing one or two armour spirits wincing at the intensity of my voice

"I will leave you, for a while, at least" i hear some gasping while the rest maintain their deathly silence.

"As we speak, my soul is beckoned to a world beyond our gaze, a world infested with human vermin"

I notice hushed whispers among the crowd

"But fear not, for with the help of my sorcerer, and the hunter commander, we will crush this human infestation!"

The crowd chants 'all hail Ravik' several times before i start hearing a voice i do not know,

Speaking in a language beyond my understanding.

A green portal appears behind me, every fibre of my being urges me inside, but not before nodding to my sorcerer,

he nods back, signing he knows what to do, as does the commander, without further hesitation, i step in, and all goes black.

 **Same time, halkeginia, tristain academy of magic, courtyard, Kirche 3rd person pov**

The incantations were said, a portal appeared, and familiar was spat out of it.

That was how it happened for the other students, and then it was Kirche's turn, she said the incantations, a portal appeared,

and she waited, and waited, until the portal colored red at the edges, black on the inside, and exploded.

She couched, once, twice, thrice, then thought 'i thought this only happened to louise!' as she tried to peer into the thick smoke.

 **Same time, halkeginia, tristain academy of magic, courtyard, King Ravik 1st person pov**

When i came to, i was in a kneeling position, gone was the familiar gentle cold of khalingar, in it's place was... a sun?

A sun, a big ball of fire that rained light onto the world, my kingdom had a sun watching over it, once upon a time.

I turn my attention to the ground i kneel on, it's grass, but not the cold, frosted grass from home, no, this grass was a bright green colour.

What a curious landscape. I look around, yet i see naught but smoke, i see almost nothing, i rise to my full height, and hear a myriad of voices.

Not the familiar metallic voices from my people, but _human_ voices! I panicked briefly at first, then composed myself, this is wat i expected.

With a wave of my hand the smoke around me clears out, and i see all around me, and i don't like it.

 **Same time, same place, Kirche 1st person pov**

I panicked, had i become the laughing stock of the class now!?

I look around and see louise grinning at me, smirks were on the faces of my schoolmates as well!

Before i freaked out, though, there a sudden noise, a clanking sound, not unlike the sound one would make in a suit of armour.

My classmates begin muttering to each other, 'what was that?' 'It came from the smoke!'

Before i could make out more the smoke suddenly dispersed in mostly the same fashion as in wich it arrived, and i see...

A man?

A man in an imposing suit of armor, easily towering over me at eight feet tall, blood red hair cascaded from underneath his vaguely dragon themed helmet, a wicked looking, slightly curved, sword rested on his hip, but his most peculiar features were his eyes.

The eyes of a beast.

Eyes that were currently staring into my soul.

 **Same time, same place, King Ravik's 1st person pov**

I stare at this human, this girl, with hair like my own, red, what a peculiar coincidence.

She looks at me with a mixture of admiration, wonder, and fear, while the rest of the humans, children i assume, have looks plain fear, mockery and wonder on their faces, but there was one who intigued me the most, an older, balding human, mortality is such a burden, he had the look of a kind teacher... but only the look, this man has spilled blood, i can smell it, he has been the death of dozens, his staff and attire lead me to believe he is a mage, if that is true, he could be big threat.

He turned and spoke to the girl with hair like mine, in a language beyond my understanding, the man takes on a matter-of-fact tone as he speaks with the girl, who looks surprised and a bit nervous, she turns back to me and speaks to me in her incomprehensible tongue, i decide it was time to show these humans how a king speaks.

"I know not if you can understand my words, but if you can, answer me, wich of you ripped me from my home?"

The humans all look surprised, some took a fearful step back, they all began speaking to each other in the odd language, when the older human steps up to me and starts speaking in a broken version of my language while looking through a book loaded with loose pieces of paper.

"How... You... Ehhhm talk... Ancient... language?"

True the sacred language of the armour spirits has been around since we first landed on our world, so it is old, but calling it ancient is an overstatement. "You know how to converse with me, human, so you will tell me, wich one of you tore me from my kingdom?"

 **Same time, same place, Kirche 1st person pov**

I was still reeling back from when the giant man spoke, his voice was so intense! And what kind of language was that? I was even more surprised when professor Colbert started conversing with the man in the same language! I was about to ask what they were doing when professor Colbert cast a translation spell, then turned to me, he said "this... man, wishes to know who summoned him"

"That was me" i said without thinking, suddenly the big knight turns to me, gives a light chuckle and says "a child? A child managed to summon King Ravik from across worlds?" At this my mind goes wild 'WHAT!? I summoned a king as a familiar!? The kind of repercussions this could have... I'll be the black sheep of the Zerbst family forever...' "What is your name?" There's that intense voice again, the voice that could topple mountains. "I don't like repeating myself, child, who. are. you?" At this i look up to find the giant... King staring back at me. I respond with "K-kirche Augusta Frederica Von Anhalt-Zerbst"


	4. A strange boy and a magnificent dragon

**As always, sorry for any grammar mistakes, have a good read, and leave some good criticism**

 **Direct continuation of chapter 3, King Ravik 1st person pov**

It couldn't be, this girl, this _human_ , who shared my hair, shared my name as well? I would not believe it, i could not, how could a lowly human be related to _my_ glorious bloodline! When she told me her name, i hid my surprise well, made it seem like i simply brushed it off... It was quite the oposite. A human and an armour spirit cannot interbreed, wich supported my theory of her supposed "name" being a lie, but i still harbour doubt.

Is this human, this "Kirche" as she calls herself really related to me?

"Girl, do not lie to me" I said with a disbelieving tone of voice, Kirche was taken aback.

"I'm not lying to you, my name is K-" was as far as she got before we were interrupted by the professor, Colbert was his name, i believe.

"Ahem, you can continue this in _after_ the familiar summoning, miss Zerbst" i almost invisibly flinched "please contract this man as your familiar."

Familiar... I recognise that word, those were the strange armour spirits young Brimir kept by his side most of the time.

"B-but he is a KING! I can't have him as a familiar!" Kirche protested, to wich Colbert replied "the springtime familiar summoning ritual is a sacred rite, whatever being appears by performing is to be your familiar, you performed the rite, this man appeared, thus he is your familiar." He stated matter-of-factly, Kirche sighed, turned to me, and said "please get on one knee" i was confused by this, but if was to buy time for Brimir to track me to this world, i had to play along, so i knelt, recited an incantation in words i did not recognize, and kissed my faceplate.

I was taken aback by this action, this was followed by a sizzling sound that came from the V shape that crowned my helmet, Kirche, as well as most humans that present showed surprise at that, "was that a sloppy attempt on my life, child?" I asked with an unsurprised tone of voice, to wich she responded with "n-no, it was just the familiar runes being branded onto you" branded, like some common cur, no matter, when Brimir finds me, and Annabelle besieges this world, it would have been worth it! "Fascinating..." I hear Colbert whisper "sir, you must let me inspect your runes!" He says enthousiastically, i reluctantly oblige, he furiously scribbles notes in that strange notebook of his. "Now then, i believe that everyone has summoned their familiar, right?" Colbert asks, i hear a voice from the crowd, a rather arrogant boy's voice "no sir, louise the zero hasn't had the chance yet!" Some humans grimaced, others had a grin on their faces, all of the were muttering "this is a waste of time" "she's gonna kill us all" among other, less flattering things, i notice one human, a girl, rather underdeveloped as compared to the others, with a fiercely determined look in her eyes.

I observe as she recites her own little chant, again in words beyond my understanding, portal appeared, and then it exploded, knocking smoke everywhere, while everyone was busy trying to get the smoke out of their lungs, i was trying to peer into cloud, and i saw...

Nothing.

The smoke was too dense, but then the smoke dispersed, ever so slowly, and then i saw... A boy?

A human child laid in the center of the crater that was created by the summoning, but his clothing style was most peculiar, compared to the humans here and those i've met in the past, he couldn't have been older than 16 years, he was very short, were he to stand up, i suspect he would just barely reach my abdomen, his jacket had a normal enough design, it was blue, save for a patch of white covering his neck and shoulders, it covered his entire upper body, save for his hands and head, an odd line of interlocked pieces of metal ran down length of his jacket.

His pants were strange as well, they were a greyish blue, and the fabric was not something i immediatly recognized, these pants, too, had a strange patern of interlocking pieces of metal, but it only ran across where his genitals would be, how strange.

His shoes we simple enough, made from a leather-like substance, they funcioned like any other pair of shoes, but they were held togerther by a two pieces of string that zigzagged across the top of the shoes.

All in all, the boy had a strange choice of clothing.

While i was focusing on the boy's attire, i barely noticed that the underdeveloped, pink haired girl i would later come to know as "louise" was being ridiculed, not knowing the reason behind this, i turned to my supposed human kinswoman "Kirche, why are they laughing at that girl, the one with pink hair?" To wich Kirche responded "she summoned a commoner, that has almost never happened before, and since a mage's familiar is suppose to be a reflection of their master, she's being treated as a failure." "Ah." I simply said.

I took this time to register the other familiars present, there was a myriad of strange creatures, a frog, an owl, a... Floating eye? And... By the void.. A dragon? These were long thought to be extinct in my world, the last of their kind served me as a mount when i was commander serving under the last queen, it died long before i was crowned king.

The fact that one lives, and is standing only a short distance away is promising news indeed... it must have noticed me admiring it's form, for it started getting nervous, when i aproached, it bowed it's head, it is what i admired most about the dragons, their unrivaled ability to sense danger.

It's summoner seemed to have taken notice, she was a short girl, rivaling the boy and the pink haired girl in size, she had short, sky blue hair sat atop her head, wich was further decorated by red framed glasses, unlike her classmates she held a staff, how curious, back in khalingar, the size of a catalyst was always testament to a sorcerer's experience, furthermore, she radiated experience, she has seen tragedy, death, she's killed before.

"Dangerous" was the lone word that escaped her mouth, and i can't say she's wrong "is that how all you humans greet each other?" Is said, a slight undertone of humor graced my voice. "Just you" was her answer, she didn't strike me as the talkative type, but she did look like a great listener, someone who would be happy to listen to my ramblings, i turn my gaze back to the dragon and was about to speak when it's summoner spoke to me "sylphid" she said "sylphid, a magnificent name for a magnificent beast, now tell me, what is your name?" I asked "Tabitha" she simply said, ofcourse i knew she was lying, but i didn't press it, my aim was to bring tragedy, not help humans with their issues.

My attention was torn away once more as i noticed most students had... flown off? Except for my supposed "master", Colbert, the pink hair girl, and the boy, who had long since awoken.

i noticed a set of runes were present on the boy's left hand, this gained my attention, as a similar set of runes now decorated my helmet, they were just above the facemask, at the center of the V shape wich expanded into my helmet's horns, i spent too long pondering once more as the professor too flies off too wherever, but i see the girl and the boy walk, i decided to question my "master" about this "Kirche, why are they walking? I saw everyone else fly off" i asked, gaining an ever so slight smirk from Kirche as she said "the girl, Louise, is incapable of using magic, she can't cast the levitation spell without blowing us all up" she said, gaining my curiosity, i decided not to question it as i notice we were now alone "i trust you have a residence in this humble tower?" Was my inquiry, i was an armour spirit, i needed not rest, food, nor drink, but my station as king of Khalingar demanded i at least have one room to call my own "ofcourse!" She said "if i had luxurious room for myself, how could i call myself a member of the Zerbst family?" She continued, earning an offended look from me as we set off to find this "luxurious room"


	5. Stories of home and zipper fascinations

**Authour's note: so i got my first review yesterday, congrats timce2, the prize is... Ehhh... Erm... My undying gratitude! He he... Yeah... Anyway! As always, have a good read, and leave a review**

 **1 day after the springtime familiar summoning ritual, Khalingar, Grand Library, Annabelle 1st person pov**

"Did you find Him yet? Did you find our glorious monarch?" I asked Brimir, with no small amount of worry

"Not yet, this isn't like tracking some lost cattle of humans through a forest, you know! I'm trying to find a single soul in a nearly infinite void!" He answers with frustration lining his young voice, for nearly 24 hours now, Brimir had been trying to find our lost monarch in the endless void between worlds without pause, it was beginning to show.

I miss our glorious king, he does too, but the promise of finally exterminating mankind kept us going, and also filled us with worry, the humans in the other world did not have us to hinder their technological and magical advances, without us, the humans had ample room to advance their technolegies and refine their magical arts, so all of us had a shadow of doubt in our souls on whether or not we could really finish the humans off.

But i am queen regent, appointed by our magnificent King Ravik! I cannot show doubt, for i am a symbol to my people now!

But miss you so much, my dear monarch...

I never even got to tell you how i feel...

 **18 hours earlier, halkeginia, tristain academy of magic, academy halls, King Ravik 1st person pov**

As we strode through the halls of this so called "academy of magic", i could not help feeling slightly impressed at the architecture, the humans of this world were much more evolved than ours, for a human born in my world could not be distinguished from a common animal, were it not for their above average intelligence.

"We're here" was what brought me out of my thoughts, Kirche had stopped infront of a door, a door wich looked like any other, so i could not fathom that this was the entance to anything worth calling "luxurious"

"This is your room?" I asked skeptically.

"Why yes, is there something wrong?" Kirche answered, wich prodded me to sigh out my frustration as i groaned out "nothing, let us go inside so we can talk"

The room itself, while not at all unsatisfying, was also not worth calling luxurious. It had a somewhat romantic atmosphere on it, and what was that strange smell? "Is it to your liking?" She asked, i instinctively wanted to say no, while it was a decent room, it was not a fitting residence for king, not even a human one, but i held true to my grand scheme and went along anyway "it will do" was my simple answer, Kirche had a complicated look on her face as she sat down on her bed, seeing no furniture designed for armor spirits, as most of us were heavier than the average human, i had to improvise in the way a king should, by summoning a decent chair.

As i drew from my inner pool of mana the runes on my arms began glowing, and oddly, the rune on my helmet as well. Extending one arm forward, a grand throne-like chair slowly rose from the ground out of a pit of blackness wich had appeared there. Nodding to confirm my statisfaction, i took my seat.

Kirche looked shocked, why though? Conjuring should be childsplay for any magic user worth their salt, especially when dealing with inanimate objects, like a half decent chair, wich this room lacked.

"Now, i imagine you have a lot of questions, ask away" i said, not knowing the lengthy conversation i was about to enter.

 **Same time, same place, Kirche 1st person pov**

After recovering from my surprise at the fact that my familiar just conjured up a throne, he told me that i could start asking questions, wich i had in abundance. "So, what are you anyway? You're not human, that's clear, but i don't know what other creature would describe you best, perhaps if you took off your helmet...?" I asked in vain hope of seeing what this man, this king, actually looked like, i bet he was stunningly handsome!

"I can't" was his blunt reply, this puzzled me, so i decided to press the issue "why can't you remove your helmet?"

"Because there is nothing under this armor." He said sagely "what do you mean there's nothing under that armour!?"

"Calm yourself." He said calmly, yet also sternly. "I am what's known as an armor spirit, we are beings that inhabit the spiritual plane of existence, given a permanent anchor in the material world by being bound into a suit of armor."

"What's the spiritual plane?" I ask, never having heard of either that place, or his species.

"The spiritual plane is home to beings beyond your understanding, some of wich you call 'gods'" he explains, somehow confusing me even more, he seems to have noticed this, as he shook his head and said "it is not something properly explained in a single conversation, why don't i tell you about my earthly home?"

At my nod, he continued "the grand city of Khalingar is a place of eternal winter where armor spirits like myself roam around going about their business, these armor spirits come in all shapes and sizes, there were the guardsmen, ever loyal, covered from head to toe in plate armor, they could weather any attack, and they would, if only to protect their king." He said.

i tried my best to envision a city forever covered in snow, where empty sets of armor roamed the streets, i was torn from this image as he continued talking "there were the *ahem* beast hunters, who would take care of any threat that required one to leave the cold confines of the dark city"

That cough sounded very strange, i wanted to press it, but he continued to talk.

"And lastly there are the nobles, they only ever inhabited female shaped armor sets consisting mainly of a chainmail dress and lifelike helmets, they helped me govern the smaller parts of my kingdom, like districts in various parts of the city."

So the concept of being a noble was not that diffrent in his world, interesting.

"I wish i could tell you more, but your sun has dawned, by my limited knowledge of human customs, it should be time for you to sleep." He said with an odd amount of care in his voice, but he was right, the sun had gone down, and i was feeling tired, sleeping would be nice. "Right, i suppose i should get changed."

"Changed? Whatever do you mean?" He asked me, to wich i looked dumbfounded "you know, change into my sleepingwear?" I explained, thankfully he got my point, but he just sighed "you humans are so impractical" he simply said, i didn't know if that was a comment or an insult, i didn't bother to ask as i changed clothes, only after i finished did i realize i never asked him to turn around as he was still sitting in that throne of his, watching with oddly curious eyes

"Interesting" was the only word to escape his helmet, at my slightly blushing face he continued "i suppose you are going to sleep now, right?" I nod "then i will take this oppertunity to explore this academy of magic, good night or whatever you humans say when you go to sleep" he said as he stood up and left my room, i collapsed on my bed and soon after fell asleep.

 **Same time, tristain academy of magic, academy hallway, King Ravik 1st person pov**

I left the room just before Kirche fell asleep, 'what a curious and impractical concept, sleep, it, leaves you so vunerable t-' *tap tap tap thunk!*

I was interrupted when something crashed into me, i was unfazed, but when i turned around i saw the boy in strange clothing lying on the floor, under a mountain of clothes

"ouch! Ah i'm sor-" he seems to halt as he digs his head out of mt. laundry and starts taking in the image that is my kingly armor, he seems slightly frightened, and i awe "sorry for bumping into you, sir knight!" He says while getting on all fours, his head bowed to the point it was digging into the floor, what a curious pose

"i have no use for your apologies, boy, what i want is your guaranty that this will not occur again" i spoke to him, my voice frightening him more, as it did to most people who heard it for the first time.

"y-yes, it will never happen again sir knight!" He says hurriedly, i decided to ask hime something that has had me curious for a while "boy" he looks back up at me "what is your name?" I ask as kindly as i can "s-saito, sir knight" was his answer "Saito, i am k-" i cut myself off, i shouldn't tell everyone that i am a king right off the bat, constantly frightened and awed faces get tiresome after a while "sir knight? Is there something wrong?" I hear the boy, Saito, speak "hm? Oh no, nothing, my name is Ravik Zerbst, i was summoned here, like you were." Was my answer, he seemed surprised at this "really? Are you a cosplayer? Your costume looks super realis-" "quiet boy, there are people trying to sleep" at this he quiets down and i continue speaking "now, there is something i wished to ask you all day long"

"what do you want to know sir kn- i mean, sir Ravik?" Was his question.

i sighed out of relief, i was finally going to get an answer to that infernal riddle "that mechanism on your jacket and your pants, what purpose does it serve?" I asked, barely hiding my curiousity, he answered "mechanism...? Oh you must mean my zipper!"

"Your... Zipper? 'strange name' what does it do?" I asked, puzzled by the strange name, he demonstrated by grasping a small metal flap at the top of the pattern and pulling it downwards, opening his jacket, i was surprised that humans could think up something so complicated "fascinating, you think you could show me how to construct a... Zipper?" Was my awkwardly formed question, to my dissapointment he shook his head "no, i have no idea how to make it" i sigh, showing my dissapointment "well, that's that, that would be all i require of you, boy, you best run along, i don't think you are running around with a pile of laundry for the humor in it" at this, he seems to be reminded of something and dashes away with the laundry, i turn my back and walk away, but not before hearing a crashing sound again, i simply sigh and continue walking, comparing the humans i met here, to the humans in my world.

Humans in my world are barbaric creatures that would kill their cohorts if only the reward outweighed their usefulness, the humans i have met here so far have been diffrent, but they are mere children, i cannot make accurate judgements on them alone, so i decided to look for a library, wich i eventually found.

It was there i discovered that humans of this realm had more knowledge at their disposal then i originally thought, given the size of the library, it was nothing like the grand library in Khalingar castle, wich could be seen as an entirely seperate castle, but it carried enough knowledge to hopefully satiete my thirst for knowledge of this world and it's humans.

I walked along the big shelves that were stocked full on books, minus a few missing ones, and stopped when i felt something bump into me, when i turned i saw nothing there, until i looked down, and when i did that i saw the dragon tamer, tabitha was her name, if memory serves.

I look down at her and see her looking back up at me with a seemingly indiffrent look, i wished to press the issue of her feigned indiffrence at everything, but i had tasks to complete, so i simply nodded at her, she nodded at me, and we continued our seperate quests for knowledge.

 **And that's that, took me a good 3 hours to write, enjoy the fruits of my hard labor damnit! Seriously though, thanks for reading, leave a review, maaaybe fav it too, and i'll see you in the next chapter**


	6. Frustrations and disturbing religions

**So you guys in the reviews wanted me to have court sorcerer Brimir's staff be the so called staff of destruction, and you wanted Annabelle to end up together with King Ravik, or, well, one of you guys did, at least... Here's to ABuzzmann who's the only that's (currently) offering advice, thanks bud, i appreciate it! As always, have a good read, leave a review, maybe follow and fav too**

 **A 3 days after King Ravik's zipper adventure, khalingar, queen Annabelle's chambers (formerly King Ravik's chambers), Annabelle 3rd person pov**

Annabelle was many things, determined, brave, (sometimes) kind, a cunning fighter and a better leader, but right now...

...she was alone...

The court sorcerer (who now served mainly as adviser, as wich he will be refered to starting now) had thus far failed to track down her beloved King Ravik, she was sad, angry, worrying for the one she loved yet did not know loved her, and she was frustraded, and right now, she needed to take that frustration out on something, beckoning a handful of guards to follow her to the training grounds.

 **15 minutes later, khalingar, training grounds, some poor guard's 1st person pov**

We all knew the queen regent was angry about something, none of us knew what, save for some of those spooky 'hunter's elite', but to take it out on us? It made sense ofcourse, but still! These were my thoughts as i laid there, on the sand covered grounds of the training area, my body was so dented one would be hard pressed to distinguish it from a rubbish container.

 **Same time, same place, queen Annabelle's 1st person pov**

The armor on these poor guards was thick, true, but to call it unyielding was a fatal error, as i proved when i beat them so hard i could use them as rubbish containers! Anyhow, i had worked out my frustrations, for now, i had sent the guards to get their bodies hammered back into shape by forge master dellion speaking of that hermit, i should go make sure he doesn't burn Khalingar to the ground.

 **15 minutes later, khalingar, gate of the great forge, queen Annabelle's 1st person pov**

I arrived just on time, the poor guardsmen just exited the great forge, as good as new! I stand before the grand double doors, the great barrier that seperates the gentle cold of Khalingar from the smothering heat of the great forge dubbed "Ravik's fury", fitting, really.

I struggle to open the great door, as i was never meant to excell at tests of strength, as soon as i cross the barrier i am assaulted by a wave of insufferable heat, how that old hermit stands it, i will never understand. As my hand leaves my mask after wiping off dew from what was once a paper thin layer of ice that covered me, i see the forge master Dellion.

His armor was _massive_ with me coming up to his waist! And i was only a head shorter that my beloved Ravik.

His armor had no helmet, instead the cuirass was so big, it engulfed his entire upper body, it was black, in a disc shape if you viewed it from above, at the front was a silver grill with flames and embers pouring out whenever he spoke.

His arms were present at the sides of his strange cuirass, and by the home before Khalingar, were they _massive_ , i was surpirsed he didn't need to walk like a gorilla! Big, cylindrical forearms held three thick blocky fingers in a triangle formation, a hole in the center, where his palm would be.

His legs were somewhat small, compared to the rest of him, that was, stubby legs with blocky toes that, by some miracle, supported his enormous body.

 **"Queen regent, to what do i owe thee thine visit, rare as it is?"** Came his guttural voice, it was much deeper than that of Ravik's and didn't shake me as much, instead it threatened to flail me around if i wasn't careful! Embers and flames escaped his face/grill as he growled in that positively monstrous voice, come to think of it, was this why my beloved Ravik had him sentenced to seclusion in His great forge?

"I simply wished to see how one of my most vital subjects performed his daily duties" i explained, it wasn't entirely true, i had not thought of a reason to visit the forge master, i simply did. "Forgemaster" i felt the ground shake ever so little as he forced his massive body to turn and face me "i wish to know how you construct these armor suits for us, how you create homes for our dark souls" i was a bit theatrical, i admit, but i had to be! Anyone who wanted a chat with the forge master had to know how to speak with a bit of character, else he would simply introduce you to his smithing hammer.

Forge master Dellion oblidged and proceeded to show and explain to me the makings of an armor spirit's body, quite a delicate process, one crack, one poorly secured plate and you could fatally damage an armor spirit's fragil soul!

I smiled, or i would have, if i could, because i was distracted, distracted from the awful waiting for news of my beloved, for a short while...

...i was not alone...

 **Same time, Halkeginia, tristain academy of magic, courtyard, King Ravik 1st person pov**

I was frutrated, my little excursion to the library had not gone according to my expectations, while i did find some interesting pieces of history, as was my goal, i was also deeply troubled by what i found...

 **Flashback, 3 days ago, halkeginia, tristain academy of magic, library, King Ravik's pov**

After my initial encounter with Tabitha in the library, i realised i yet need something from her, the "translation spell" Colbert cast on me removed the obstacle that was the spoken language, but it did not help with the next one...

The written language.

How was i to sail this great sea of knowledge without knowing how to read it's contends? I decided my best course of action was not to start having writing lessons, i do not have that kind of time, nor patience, nor the humility to let a _human_ teach _me_ anything, so i resorted to the next best thing: mind reading.

While i was skeptical of my abilities in this hazardous form of magic, the reward far outweighed the risk.

I took a seat in a corner of the library, managed to get a good angle on tabitha, and then i concentrated, the rune on my head began glowing, and then i saw things, many things, a happy family, a betrayal, a devious plot, and a mad tyrant. All interesting things, but ultimately, not my goal, but it did not matter, for i had gotten what i came for, knowledge on this world's written language, Tabitha looked more weary now, cautious, i decided to grab a handful of books from a section dubbed "history" and nearly bolted out of there, knowing full well Tabitha was watching my hasty retreat.

 **5 minutes later, halkeginia, tristain academy of magic, Kirche's room, King Ravik 1st person pov**

After my little adventure i went back to Kirche's room, where my chair was still present, i piled the books next to it and picked up the one at the top "a newcommer's guide to brimirism" it was called, Brimirism? As in Brimir, my faithful sorcerer? Must be a coincidence, i opened the book, This 'founder' character appereantly lived 6,000 years ago and introduced magic into the world, this led to him being revered as a god in later years, if the title of this book was anything to go by, this 'founder' was named Brimir, this troubled me, was it a coincidence, or is there more at play here than i can percieve? As i read through the book, i grew interested in this species that humanity coexisted with, "elves" as they were called, they supposively betrayed and killed the founder, leading towards the hostility between the two species wich still lingers today. 'Like us and the humans' i thought with a hint of humor, these humans, too, had a knack for picking unvaforable fights.

I quickly finished the book, being disturbed by having learned my court sorcerer may have arrived here before i did, somehow, i closed the book and delved into the next, it was a simple history book detailing major events of the past 6,000 years, nothing incredibly interesting, except yet another refrence to that infernal religion, a kingdom seems to have been erected in it's honour, today it's the home of a man they call a "pope" this man is supposively the leader of this twisted religion, a shepheard of the people, if one was feeling dramatic.

I was about to dive into the next book when i heard Kirche stirring, i had spent the whole night on my little escapade, renembering all that i did, it wasn't very surprising. The next few days passed uneventfully as i frequented my visits to the library and reading sessions during nighttime.

 **Flashback end, 2 days after Ravik's discovery of Brimirism, same place, courtyard, King Ravik's 1st person pov**

As i mentioned before, i was frustrated, i had to take this out on something, to my great relief, there was a fight going on...

 **And that's that, i had originally planned for this to be like 1,500 words long. Then i got carried away and boom! 2,000 words! Can't argue with the results, though, anyway leave a review if you like, maybe follow and fav too**


	7. A duel and a solemn vow

**I, uh, i got nothing to say other than leave a review so i know people read my work, anyway, have a good read**

 **Following the cliffhanger of chapter 6, halkeginia, tristain academy of magic, vestri court, King Ravik 1st person pov**

As i mentioned a few times now, i was frustrated, luckily, an oppertunity to vent was presented not far from me, as i notice Saito standing in front of an arrogant looking human child, a child that, after waving a fake looking plant around, summoned... Armor spirits? No, these were not my people, they were hollow, mindless affronts to the proud citizens of Khalingar.

I watched as the hollows beat Saito up as he had no way to defend himself, deciding i had enough of watching these pale imitations fail at killing a single human child, i stepped forward, hand on the hilt of my sheathed saber.

The blonde boy must have noticed, as he turned to watch my aproach and said "i am in the middle of a duel, commoner! Can't you se-" i interrupted as i drew my sword and with one swing, cut all the hollow affronts in half, a ringing noise followed the sudden drawing of my saber.

 **Same time, same place, Guiche 1st person pov**

What was going on!? First i was teaching this filthy commoner a lesson, next thing i know, my golems were destroyed by a huge knight with a... A broken sword? There was a finely crafted sword in his hand, it had a slightly bent hilt, an engraved crossguard, and an engraved, single edged blade, the problem was...

Half of the blade was gone.

 **Same time, same place, King Ravik 1st person pov**

I had forgotten, forgotten about what happened to my once proud saber, a long time ago...

 **Flashback ,127 years ago, Khalingar, the frosted grass plains outside the city gate, King Ravik 3rd person pov**

 ***shing! Clang! Boom!***

King Ravik pushed Himself out of a rock face he was knocked into, His adversary stood in front of Him, mocking Him with a laxed stance, King Ravik's saber was, at this time, still whole, with a curved blade, runes running along it's length.

His adversary had a very diffrent kind of sword, it was tall, a head taller than them if you included the hilt, it was stark white, with runes running along the blade's length, the blade of this sword was also diffrent from Ravik's, it was straight, and thin, despite it's length, were it not plunged into the ground, he would see a normal diamond shaped tip on the sword, as for the cross guard, it was wide, so wide one would be able to fit five blades on and still have room to spare.

His adversary charged, with one hand on the hilt, the other on one side of the crossguard, King Ravik raised His saber in defence as His adversary's blade glowed a golden light, they clashed.

 ***clang! Boom!***

And the saber was broken.

 **End flashback, 127 years later, Halkeginia, tristain academy of magic, vestri court, King Ravik 1st person pov**

How i longed to forget that day, and that woman... But my broken saber was to be a reminder of my defeat, forever.

I pull myself out of my thoughts as i enter a relaxed stance, observing the area around me, i see the human looking at me with eyes of fear, Saito looks at me with awe and wonder, even though i rudely interrupted what was to be a "duel".

"W-what, but how did you-?" He tries to say as he interrupts and composes himself "no matter. You won't stand a chance against more of my valkyries!" He yelled, valkyries, so that was what these hollow constructs were called, i said nothing, showing my acceptance of more foes, i still needed to vent.

The blonde boy waved his little flower about and called forth more of these "valkyries" with just as much ease, i cut them down, by now i was satisfied, wanting to prevent further unneeded effort, i charged at the boy, and crush his flower, wich i had deduced to be his wand.

"How dare you! I am a noble!" He screamed among less flattering things, i rewarded him for this by lifting him by his cloak and bloodied my hand with a fisted backhand across his face as i said "you are nothing more than a child, a child who has no idea what power he posseses beyond the simple art of golemancy, but looking at your feeble constructs, you haven't even mastered that, either." He looks shocked at my little speech, or was it my voice, it had always been hard to tell, but i continued "realise that i only wished to vent my frustrations, had i wished to end you, it would be well within my power to do so, but now you have fulfilled your purpose, you may continue with your duel" i said as i unceremoniously, drop him on the ground.

I hear the duel continuing behind my back as i walk away, i see Kirche waiting for my by the door to the acadamy, surpirse was present on her face as she spoke to me "what was that!" Came her surpirsed voice "you cut those valkyries up with so little effort!" She comtinued, i raised my hand, signing i wish for her to quiet down, she obliges as i speak "i merely wished to vent my frustration, it was nothing" i say, somehow this excited her more, as was evident by the look on her face.

 **Same time, same place, Kirche 1st person pov**

My familiar is so awesome! He cut Guiche's golems apart so easily, with a broken sword no less! He must be insanely powerfull, and that familiar of zero **(heuheuheu)** before Ravik intervened he was spending most of the duel's length on the floor, getting beat up, but after Ravik left and Guiche gave him a sword, he too started cutting up golems without a single problem! My what interesting familiars this year.

 **Same time, headmaster's office, Old Osmond 3rd person pov**

The headmaster of the academy of magic, Old Osmond as he prefered to be called, watched the interrupted duel with fascination, Colbert was standing beside him, a look of wonder graced his face as well.

The duel was going badly for young Saito, he was bruised and beaten by Guiche's golems, Colbert was about to interfere when someone beat him to it, the familiar of that girl from the Zerbst family, King Ravik, for this was His name, cut Guiche's valkyries apart with no trouble, with a broken sword of all things! This surprised the headmaster, and Colber too, almost as much as when King Ravik left, and Guiche used what was left of his wand to summon a sword for Saito and more golems, only to have Saito cut them up effortlessly as well! Colbert observed the glowing runes on the boy's left hand, a long study session had revealed that these runes were those of Gandalfr, one of founder Brimir's four familiars.

Additionally, Colbert had shown the headmaster the notes he took of the new runes that now graced King Ravik's visage, another long study session revealed that He was the newly chosen Mjöovitnir, the mind of god, another one of found Brimir's familiars. It was said that the Mjöovitnir was the oposite of Gandalfr, in the sense that Gandalfr excelled in the physical aspect of combat, able to use any weapon that graced their hands, while mjöovitnir specialized in the magical side of things, able to use the most complicated spells with minimal effort, if this was true, and the King's skill in combat was already this great, he would be a truly terrifying oponent.

The headmaster sighed, knowing the future would bring alot of complication, so he sought relaxment in the news his familiar motsognir, a mouse, would bring of his secretary's undergarments.

 **Unknown time, khalingar, great forge "Ravik's fury", forge master Dellion 1st person pov**

 **"Heat, hammer, cool, heat, hammer, cool, heat, hammer, cool, heat, hammer, cool."**

I bellowed as i forged more cages, 'armor' as my frosted kinsmen called it, to protect them.

 **"Heat, hammer, cool, heat, hammer, cool, heat, hammer, cool, heat, hammer, cool"**

I forge on, crafting more cages for my frosted kinsmen, by the decree of King Ravik!

 **"Heat, hammer, cool, heat, hammer, cool, heat, hammer, cool, heat, hammer, cool"**

To heat the iron that was chosen by His hand, to hammer it into the shape that He envisioned, to cool it, so it may take it's final shape, and serve Him.

 **"I forge ever onward, all hail King Ravik!"**

 **Same time, khalingar, gate of the great forge, queen Annabelle 1st person pov**

I hear the muffled chanting of forge master Dellion clear outside, he has always served my beloved Ravik with religious zeal, as if he was beholding a god, wich was not terribly far from the truth, my Ravik has always been godlike in terms of physical skill and more than a match for anyone with His magical abilities. I once heard it was widespread belief among humans that women like men with power, it proved true for me, as i fell in love with our glorious monarch, but i never had the... What did humans call it? The guts to confess that to Him, now i may never get the chance to...

But i am queen regent now! I will find Him, i will find my Ravik! And i'll be His true queen!

This i vow as ruler of Khalingar

 **And that's that, please leave a review if you enjoyed it and if you have some way for me to improve, or follow and fav, or all at once, i'm not picky**


	8. Surfing on a dragon and memories of old

**I really need to think up some things to say other than enjoy the read an leave a review**

 **One day after the duel, halkeginia, Kirche's room, King Ravik 1st person pov**

I was observing the rising sun over the horizon as i hear Kirche wake up "good morning" i said, noticing she didn't wince as much at my voice anymore. "Good morming, Ravik" she greeted back, we spoke after the duel, during that conversation, she asked if she could be on a first name basis with me, i was unfamiliar with this concept, but after she explained i accepted, not seeing the trouble in it. "Have you any plans for today?" I asked, not wanting to sit inside a room, twiddling my thumbs as my armor rusts. "Yes, we're going to get you a sword, one that isn't snapped in half." I nodded and turned my back to Kirche, she explained how it was rude to stare at a woman while she's changing, i didn't see the point, but obliged anyway.

As she finished we started walking through the academy halls i asked if she didn't have any classes to attend to, she said it was the "day of the void" whatever that is, somewhere along the way we ran into Louise and Saito, who's wounds had healed since i last saw him, they appeared to be going to the nearby city too, i was looking forward to seeing how humans would try their hand at building a city.

 **5 minutes later, same place, academy hallway, King Ravik 1st person pov**

After we let Saito and Louise go to the city ahead of us, Kirche filled me in on how she would win Saito over from louise by tempting him with a nice sword, seeing as how Louise was going for the very same thing, and so was i now that i thought of it, what a peculiar coincidence.

She told me how she planned to get to the city using Tabitha, or more specifically, her dragon, Sylphid.

I was excited, like a newly created armor spirit about to be bound for the first time, it would be my first time on a dragon in centuries! "You seem rather upbeat, Ravik, why is that?" Was Kirche's question, to wich i reaponded "how could i not be? In khalingar, dragons were very well respected animals, to be allowed to ride one was considered a great honor." I said matter-of-factly, Kirche looked about to respond, but we had arrived.

 **Same time, same place, Kirche 3rd person pov**

I knocked on the door yelling "tabitha! Open up!" But i recieve no response, so i knock again, and again, and nothing, i was about to break the door open when Ravik beat me to it, with a wave of his hand and a brief flash of the runes that were present there, the door flung open, almost flying off it's hinges!

We enter only to find Tabitha in her bed, with the field of a silencing spell around her, that explained a lot. I was explaining my grand master plan when i stopped to realise the bubble of silence was still present, Ravik once again came to my rescue, as he stared intensely at the bubble while the rune on his head started glowing, the bubble popped, like any other bubble would, i was now free to talk with my best friend!

As i explain my grand master plan i was halted once again when Tabitha interrupted, merely saying "day of the void" i knew, ofcourse, how important days of the void were to my dear friend wich is why said "but Tabitha, can't you see! I am in love!" To this she nodded her head, put her head out the window, whisteled for Sylphid who then stuck her head in through the same window, Sylphid seemed slightly unnerved at Ravik's presence, how odd.

 **10 minutes later, airspace above the road to the city of Tristania, King Ravik 1st person pov**

We were flying on a dragon, an actual, living dragon! I closed my eyes as i took in the sensations of the flight, the wind blowing through my hair, the movement of the dragon's muscles beneath my feet, yes, my feet, for unlike the cowardly humans, Khaligarian dragon riders did not sit upon their honored mounts, nay, we _stood_ on them as we sailed through the skies together! Although sometimes we adopted a low crouch, grasping the back of the dragon's neck in one hand, holding a polearm in the other.

This prodded Kirche and Tabitha to look at me with curious eyes, but i ignored it, for i was reminded of the days of yore, when i was not king, but commander Ravik of the Khaligarian dragon riders!

 **Flashback, 893 years ago, Khalingar, Queen Amalia's castle (currently King Ravik's castle), dragon stables, Commander Ravik 1st person pov**

We were about to ride out, a large cattle of human mages was discovered hiding in a deserted village in the north, i renember the time we sacked that village... But now was not the time to renember the good old days, we had a mission.

The khaligarian dragon riders had some of the most unique armor around, it was mostly a hard leather-like substance wich covered their thighs and biceps and good bit of the cuirass as well.

Their bracers were iron, beautifully engraved bracers depicting a dragon breathing fire, their cuirasses were mostly dark leather, with an iron breastplate that covered only their pectorals, this plate, too, was beautifully engraved with a dragon's head facing forward in the center.

Their legs were protected by but a single plate that ran along their shins, it wrapped tightly around their legs, unlike the rest of the plates on their armor, the shins bore no engravings, dark leather boots hid underneath the plate, with special soles as to not lose footing on their dragons.

Lastly, their helmets, it consisted mostly of dark leather that went from the base of their necks to where their noses would be, at the top of their heads was an iron helmet, it was in a cone shape with eyeholes at the bottom and a red plume of hair escaping from the top, this, too, was covered with intricate engravings and a little sculpture of a dragon taking off, just above the eyes, with spread wings where the eyebrows would be.

Black cloaks with a red interior decorated their backs.

But do not mistake the purpose of their leathery armor, for protection was only an afterthought, the real purpose of this was to decrease the burden of weight on their honored dragon companions as much as possible.

These were the honored khaligarian dragon riders, and they were right to be feared and revered, for their cone shaped helmets were an omen of a fiery, agonizing death for any human unlucky enough to cross them.

Ceasing my admiration for my knight company's armor, i turned my attention to our weapons instead, polearms, the ideal kind of weapon to fight with on a mount, mine was a halberd, it was as tall as i was if you didn't count the pike at the top, the hilt was black, with a blade in the shape of a folded dragon's wing, the rest of my knight company had a diffrent kinds of polearms, like spears, long axes, polehammers, all custom designed and forged by forge master Dellion.

Then, i turned my attention to- "commander? You're spacing out again"

i was pulled out of my mental ramblings as i noticed a leathery hand was present on my shoulder, this hand belonged to one of my subordinates "ah, yes, sorry for that, have preparations for our departure been completed?" I ask my subordinate, she was a head shorter than me, so the fact that she could reach my shoulder was mildly impressive, she had a young voice, she couldn't have been bound for more than 80 years "yes commander! we are waiting on your orders!" Was her answer, i would have smiled if i had a mouth "good, everyone! Mount up, we're flying for our glorious Queen Amalia!" I called out "FOR QUEEN AMALIA!!" Was the collective answer from my knight company, as i effortlessly jumped on my revered dragon, we set out to take one more step in the extinction of the human race.

 **Flashback end, Halkeginia, airspace near Tristania, King Ravik 1st person pov**

I feel a black, smoking tear leak out from one of my eyeholes, it was a long time ago, many of my comrades from that time are now gone, but i am still here, and the surboninate from way back then would eventually grow up to be Annabelle, i was now a king, it would be unfitting for a king to cry, and i tried so hard not to. Kirce's voice called me back to reality "we're nearly there, Ravi- what's that on your face? Are you hurt?" She asks with concern lining her voice, i wipe off the black tear from my faceplate, letting it rest in my palm before slinging it off with one quick motion "i'm fine, you said we were close?" Kirche still seemed concerned, but didn't press it "yes, we're almost at our destination" i nod, as i subconsiously sit down on the dragon, just in front of Her wings.

 **5 minutes later, halkeginia, city of tristania, past the city gates, King Ravik 1st person pov**

I almost immediatly wanted to shield my eyes from the brightness, this city, it reminded me so much of home, but it was... Brighter, and the gothic archetecture was gone, the streets were full of cheerful people, and the castle wich i saw in the distance was an eyesore.

All things considered, this place was a nightmare.

I wished to get my new sword and get out of this hellish place, using my _own_ wings if i had to!

And that was when i felt a familiar sensation, a tugging at my soul, something was beckoning me...

 **Boom! Cliffhanger! I want to say sorry but i'm really not, and i would do it again! Muahaha! In all seriousness, i probably will do it again the near future, anyway that's that, leave a review if you want, maybe fav and follow too, or all at once maybe?**


	9. A fragment of the past and a jealous boy

**I ,uh, i got nothing to say other than have a good read and leave a review.**

 **Direct continuation of chapter 8, Halkeginia, Tristania shop district, King Ravik 1st person pov**

I was speed walking through this infernal city's streets, shoving it's people aside as i intended to track down the source of this tugging at my soul, Kirche and Tabitha followed close behind me "hey Ravik! Slow down a bit!" She called out, Tabitha didn't seem to have a problem as she was more than capable of keeping up. I eventually stood in front of a shop, there was a sign with a hammer hanging outside of it, leading me to believe it was a blacksmith.

I entered, taking in the arsenal of weapons that covered the walls and filled a few barrels, a counter was in the back of the shop, behind it, the strangest looking human i had ever laid eyes on, if my eyesight were any worse, i would have mistaken him for a giant rodent.

"W-welcome!" He almost squeeked, almost convincing me he really was a giant rodent, i ignored him as Kirche went to talk with him and Tabitha stayed near the door, her face buried in a book. I was looking for the source of this familiar sensation, and found it to be a familiar looking sword.

It was a double edged straight sword, a straight hilt with a spiked pommel sat beneath a modest crossguard, that branched out into three short "branches" on both sides, it had a broad blade and ended in a normal diamond shaped tip, three teeth were carved at the base on both sides of the blade.

In any other circumstance, i would not have bat an eye at the brutal looking sword, but it's aura was unmistakable, the same aura of my broken saber.

This was the lost fragment of it's blade, reforged into a second sword.

I pondered how it could have gotten here, and who else other than forge master Dellion had the ability to work with Khalingarian steel, but i decided to think on it later. I took the sword off the wall and walked to the counter, Kirche was laying down on it in a sensual pose, her way of haggling i suppose, it appeared to be working as she just jumped off, habing been satisfied at her very generous discount.

I walked up to the shopkeeper, who seemed to shrink under my gaze, i didn't have any money on me, as was required in most human societies, and i couldn't ask Kirche to pay for me, i was a king, i shouldn't have need the help of anyone, so i settled for the next best thing,

Hypnosis.

Hypnosis, like mind reading, is a hazardous form of magic, as one wrong move can seriously damage any beings mind, but my pride as king of Khalingar would not let me try anything else, so i started staring into the rat-human's eyes, my eyes started glowing more intensely as his gaze started to take on a look one would have if one was tired, this signified my attempt was a near flawless sucess.

"You will give this sword to me for free, you will also give me it's scabard with no extra charge" i commanded the rat-human, who wordlessly obeyed and fetched me dull grey scabard that fit the sword, _my_ sword, perfectly. I proceeded to attach the sheathed sword above my broken saber. Meanwhile the rat-human collapsed on the counter, falling face first into it, he was not dead, but he was mentally scarred, as i said, my attempt at hypnosis was _near_ flawless.

Kirche seemed disturbed but ready to leave, Tabitha looked weary at me but was also ready, so, as i had no more immediate objectives in this infernal city other than to get far away from it, we left.

 **2 hours later, same world, airspace near the academy of magic, King Ravik 1st person pov**

We had made our way back to the academy of magic, by force of habit i was once again standing on Sylphid's back, truly it was good to feel like a dragon rider again! Eventually we made our way back to the academy, where Kirche immediatly dashes off towards Saito and Louise's residence, i sigh and return to Kirche's room, as i wished some time alone to admire this sword wich was once one with my saber.

It was a remarkable sword, it's brutal looks aside, it's blade had nary a scratch on it, that's Khaligarian steel for you. I was about to study it's timier details when the ground beneath my feet shook, something had exploded. Immidiatly i dashed off towards the source, wich ended up being an attempted duel between Kirche and Louise over Saito's favor, it ended with a hole being blown into the wall, the dust had most of the room's occupants coughing, but i wasn't, i had no lungs that the dust could pollute. Because of this, i saw a cloaked figure in the darkness, before i could clearly see them, they just sunk into the ground, like it was made of water.

I turned my attention to the occupants of the room, who were all blackened by the explosion, Saito seemed to have taken the worst of it, but he didn't seem too shake by the event. Before i leave the room i turn my head back to the hole, and where i saw the cloaked figure, what a curious development.

 **Same time, Khalingar, grand library, court adviser Brimir 1st person pov**

Weeks, it had been weeks since our glorious King Ravik was taken from us, all that time i had spent trying to track him across worlds, i used every technique known to me, learned and tried some more unorthodox methods too, and eventually...

... I found Him

It was just as He described, a world rich with naturally occuring seasons, winter only being one of four, unlike in our world. It was also teeming with magic, just like He told me, and... humans as well... I, as well as every other armor spirit that graced this world, shared King Ravik's opinion on humans, they were a violent, primitive species to wich nothing was sacred, not even the lives of the honored Dragons that once roamed the skies of our world.

But i was content to leave Him there, alone among those barbarians.

Contrairy to popular belief, i was fully aware of Annabelle's feelings towards King Ravik, it was for this reason i had not told her that i had managed to locate Him, i had hoped that with King Ravik gone, i could have confessed my feelings for her and _we_ could be together, but her feelings for King Ravik had only grown stronger since His departure, it was why i now admired and _hated_ our beloved King Ravik, and wished He did not return.

Oh, how i _hate_ you, our benevolant king.

I had found a way to travel across the void to the world He was taken to, and, using complicated rituals that affected my location in it's timeline, began moulding this world, shaping it into one that saw me as not king, but _god._ Eventually, i would make our 'beloved' King Ravik pay for stealing the heart of _my_ beloved Annabelle!

 **Dun dun duuun! Lemme know what you think about my first attempt at a plot twist. Also! I was thinking about adding more flashbacks about the exploits of commander Ravik and the Khalingarian dragon riders, lemme know what you think about that too. And lastly, sorry for the shortness of the chapters!**


	10. Worries and wounded pride

**3** **days after the events of chapter 9, Halkeginia, academy of magic, Kirche's room, King Ravik 1st person pov**

Kirche was sleeping, and i was staring out the window and into the night sky, as i did so, i was pondering what Kirche told me a few days back. Something about a "familiar exhibition", an event where mages and their familiars train to entertain their fellow humans, i immediatly wanted to refuse, i am King Ravik, not some court jester! But i thought better of it, it would give me an oppertunity to meet another human of royal standing, as i have been told that a person called "princess Henrietta de Tristain" was coming to observe the exhibition in person. if i was to wage war upon these humans, i needed to know who leads them, how they think, and how they would act during war.

Thus i made up my mind, i would simply flash some mildly impressive looking magic for them and call it day. Kirche seemed hesitant to accept my simple solution, but accepted it in the end. She would get her act, and i would get a meeting with a human princess, everything was in place, and the exhibition was tomorrow.

I turned my head towards the two moons in the sky, a red one, and a blue one, how peculiar, Khalingar had a moon once upon a time, a single white one. But that moon, like the sun, was swallowed by the great portal the Home before Khalingar, wich hung above my great city, and provided it with it's everlasting gentle snow.

I see the sun rise, it's time.

 **3 hours later, same world, academy of magic, courtyard, King Ravik 1st person pov**

There was a rather large cattle of humans gathered when Kirche and i aproached the courtyard, fitting i suppose, given a member of some royal family was going to show. I see the cattle parting, making way for something, a rather regal looking carriage pulled by... Horned horses? There were two snow white horses with a single horn placed between their eyes, what curious creatures. Surrounding the carriage were a dozen or so normal looking guards, with rather flimsy looking armor might i add, and fewer horses with white cloaked female humans, these humans rode closer to the carriage, and carried strange looking tubes of metal and wood in their arms, weapons, i'm sure of it, some kind of compressed forms of cannons.

I would have felt threatened that humans carried such advanced weaponry, but then i noticed that only the women with the white cloaks carried these weapons, i thus deduced that the weapons were hard to make, and reserved for the elite only, not the kind of things you would see a normal footsoldier carry around.

These humans were more advanced than the humans back in my world, it did not surprise me, these humans did not have us to hinder their technological advancement, thus they had ample enough room to develop more and more destructive weaponry.

Kirche and i were standing among the crowd, with me towering over them with head and shoulders, we watched as the carriage opened, revealing an old man, he seemed to be an important political figure, given how he was able to ride inside such a well decorated carriage, but he was not the princess, for obvious reasons, the next one to exit the carriage was a young girl, no older than sixteen, were she to stand next to me, i recon she would rise no further than my abdomen, she had a regal white dress under a long purple cloak, she had greyish eyes, purple hair sat upon her hear, further decorated by a silver tiara.

This was the princess, there was not a shadow of doubt in my mind.

"So that's the princess... I'm prettier than her, don't you think, Ravik?" Came Kirche's voice, to wich i replied "there is no correct answer to that question" i had played that game before, Annabelle would often have me compare her armor to that of high nobles, sometimes i gave her my favor, to wich she almost swooned, other times i gave the high nobles my favor, to wich she came dangerously close to committing regicide.

I chuckled at the memory, Annabelle has always let her emotions guide her, whereas i preffered logic, this lead me to briefly doubt my choice of leaving Annabelle to rule Khalingar in my absence, and contrary to popular belief, i was not oblivious to Annabelle's romantic advances, i simply had no time to pursue a romantic relationship, not with the burden of being a king, but perhaps that was just an excuse, i discarded those thoughts, the time for doubt has long passed.

The familiar exhibition began, there was a brief speech given by the princess, and after that was an academy student with blonde ringlets in her hair, and a frog, they danced around for a minute and then walked of stage, then came Louise and Saito, who introduced himself as a commoner, prodding everyone, not including myself, to laugh, after wich Louise dragged him off stage.

And then it was our turn, i walked unto the stage, and was about to introduce myself, when the ground suddenly started shaking, and a hulking mass of dirt in the shape of a person grew from the ground, i could barely make out a familiar cloaked person standing on it's shoulder, the same person i saw a few nights ago, but now i saw them clearly, a black hood sat upon a head of long green hair, and a pale face under it.

I drew my straight sword, and started walking towards the hulking golem, and then Kirche held me back "what are you doing!? You can't fight that thing, it's going to kill you!" She said with worry lining her voice "bigger men have tried" was my reply, after wich i continue walking to the golem, which had begun taking swings at the central tower, i expected a hole to be present there by now, but a strong magic barrier held the golem back, how curious. The cloaked mage noticed my aproach and commanded the golem to hit me, it raised it's fist and brought it down, but ultimately failed as it now laid on the ground, severed from the rest of it's arm, the mage looked shocked but quickly composed themself as they regenerated the golem's arm.

After that, Saito of all people charged with a rusty sword at the golem, he didn't get far as the golem grabbed him and lifted him up in the air, i sighed at the boy's brave but foolish tactic. The runes on my legs began glowing red as i jumped and latched against the tower's wall, and then unto the golem's shoulder, i stood there, face to face with the cloaked mage "well, well, you have some interesting abilities, don't you? And judging by your eyes, you're not entirely human, are you?" Was their question, by now i had deduced the cloaked mage was a she "i am not something you have seen before." was my reply as i cut the arm that held Saito, he fell harmlessly to the ground, i was about to charge when i hear louise shout "FIREBALL!" and suddenly an extremely poweful explosion rocked the golem i stood on, taking advantage of my unbalanced state, the mage knocked me off the golem's shoulder.

I hit the ground hard enough to leave a crater in my general shape, pushing myself up, i saw the cloaked mage running along the golem's arm into the tower via the now present hole, and a few seconds later emerge with a long rectangular box "it has been nice meeting all of you, but i have to depart now!" She shouted as she commanded the golem to walk away, it stepped effortlessly over the walls, i gave chase, jumping on the walls, but the golem was already gone.

 **"RHAAAAAH"** i roared into the sky, i let a _human_ get the better of me!

My fury seems to have attracted the attention of Saito, Louise, and the princess, who at some point decided to talk to the duo, the princess walked up to me, as i suspected, she only came up to my abdomen, in fact, her height rivaled louise's and Tabitha's.

"It seems i have you to thank as well, for repelling the thief fouquet from the academy" she said, fouquet, so that was the thief's name "i did not repel anything, and the thief took off with what they came for." I said with a slight undertone of anger, the princess must have noticed, as she slightly recoiled at my voice "nevertheless, i want to know the name of this brave knight" i briefly hesitated, i couldn't tell her i am a king, it would cause too many complications before the invasion started, so i simply answered "Ravik Alphonse Von Ziegler Zerbst" she looked surprised, i forgot that the Zerbst name was well known in this world "what is a member of the Zerbst family doing all the way here?" Was her question, to wich i said "in brief, i was summoned here to be a familiar to a student from this academy" the princess looked like she about to press me for more information, but was interrupted by Louise, who then had her own little talk with the princess, after wich, she said goodbye, and left all of us here to figure out our next steps against fouquet.

 **30 minutes later, halkeginia, academy of magic, Kirche's room, King Ravik 1st person pov**

As i sat on my throne that i placed in Kirche's room, i could not help but worry about what was transpiring in my dark city of Khalingar, it had been weeks since i was sent here, and there was nothing to indicate Brimir had found me, he was young, but his magic was powerful enough to rival my own, he would have found me by now, something very wrong was going on in Khalingar.

Annabelle, please be safe...

 **Sorry for the long wait! I could make all kinds of excuses for my lateness, like work, or exams, or whatever, but the simple fact is that i got lazy, well that and a lack of self esteem, but mainly lazy. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the read**


	11. Sentenced to death

**Unknown time, Khalingar, the great forest 2 miles from the city, some dirty human's 1st person pov**

"Come on! Faster!" "He's too strong!" "My skin! It's melting!"

Those were the screams that echoed through the great forest we were hiding in, we were to travel to another tribe's stronghold, the chieftain said the quickest route there took us very close to _their_ home, i voiced my concerns for that plan, _they_ would not simply miss a tribe's worth of humans so close to _their_ city, but the chief would not hear it, and now we were paying the price.

Two days ago, we entered the forests, immediatly after, a fever set in amongst our group, it started with the eldest men, then the younger ones, then women and even the children, we thought nothing of it, we simply thought that their accursed snow was finally getting to us, but it was so much worse...

As we traversed that unholy forest, our sickness grew worse, the eldest among us started dying off, one by one, right now only the young men and the children were left of us, but we reached the end of the forest! We were safe now! Or so we thought... We reached the end, the forest's end, but also ours.

Our death was in the shape of one of _them,_ just one, but that was all it really took, it was roughly six feet tall and rather bloated, it's plates were rounded and rusty, and it looked like it was dragged through an acid bath, it's belly was very round, like a human that has eaten too much for too long, and little holes were present in some places, we didn't see it's back at the time, but there were four short pipes present there, pumping out a sickly green fog, it's helmet was vaguely in the shape of a rhino, it was round at the back, and narrowed into a horn-like shape in the front, two fist sized holes were present in the sides.

As for the weapon it wielded, it was a halbert, a big, decrepit looking, rusty halbert, it had no decorations, and the blade and pike looked like their glory days were long past, this weapon, like that _thing_ , had a sickly green fog wafting off of it.

We heard rumors of this thing's existense, this was Kargul, the plaguebringer.

It took one swing at our armed men in the front, the attack itself claimed no lives, but the ones that were wounded were already doomed, for their skin rotted, their eyes whitened, and their teeth blackened. Out of the pipes on it's back came swarms of flies that, wich each sting, doomed yet another of our people, it took another swing, and claimed three more lives.

And then i was alone, i wanted to run, but it wouldn't make a diffrence, i was already dead, it's disease woulde kill me soon enough, it stepped up to me.

"YoUr LiFe, FoR ThE kINg oF KHaLiNgAr!" It bellowed, it's voice sounded like it spoke through thick layers of mucus in it's throat, i still understood it, but i wish i didn't.

"Monster!" Was my last word as it took a swing a swing at me, and thus ending my life.

 **Same time, same place, Kargul 1st person pov**

And that was that, another cattle of humans fell to me, i have struck yet another blow to the enemies of our godly King, our Kingly god, i only hope it would please Him, i was about to travel back to His dark city when i sensed another cattle of humans had entered the great forest, this one had a mage with them!

Killing these humans would surely please our good king! And so i ran further into the wood, i could smell the humans, their stench was as strong as ever. Eventually i found the human cattle, and their mage, they had already exprienced the first stages of my self-cultivated disease, wich i dubbed "Ravik's touch"

the humans looked fearful at me, and their warriors charged at me, uncaring for their own fate as the mage began reciting a spell, i took a swing and claimed the lives of four humans, but still they charged me, even as their skin disolved and their hair fell out, i took another swing, and claimed the rest of their warriors, only the mage was left, she had finished charging her little spell as she pointed her staff at me, and i sent my swarm after her, as she cast her spell on me, her body started swelling up, boils started sprouting on her skin, wich turned a sickly green color, the spell takes effect, and the last thing i see is her malformed, dead body hitting the snowy forest ground.

 **1 day after the events of chapter 10, Halkeginia, academy of magic, classroom, King Ravik 1st person pov**

I was standing beside Kirche as she was feeding Saito some strange looking food, eating was one of those things humans needed to do to survive, so impractical... Saito seemed to be enjoying it if his face was any indication, Louise however, not that much, wich was evident as she decided to vent her frustrations on Kirche "what do you think you're doing!? Go feed your own familiar!" She shouted, before Kirche could reply i said "i'm not like you, human, i have no need of impractical things such as food." Louise was taken aback and was about to reply when Kirche decided to change the subject "anyway! Have you heard? Apearantly people are blaming the princess for the attack on the academy" to this, louise looked shocked "why is that?" She asked "it seems that the princess came here despite many protests from her advisors, and that what few guards we have were diverted to protect her." Was Kirche's reply "princess..." Louise muttered softly

Just then, the door of the classroom opened to reveal Colbert, the human mage "miss Vallière, miss Tabitha, please follow me to the headmaster's office." He called out, and so we left the classroom, and so we departed to the headmaster's office.

 **5 minutes later, same world, same place, headmaster's office, King Ravik 1st person pov**

I later stood in the headmaster's office, "old osmond" as he was called by student and teacher alike, he was a withering human with long white hair, and an equally long white beard, he had a long, black robe with several metal clasps running along it's length, it looked quite distinguished.

"Why are you here!?" I heard louise shout, i turned my head to see she was refering to Kirche "hey it looked interesting" was her answer, to wich louise started pouting.

It was then that i heard a woman speaking "while i was questioning people around the city, i was informed of a suspicious figure who goes in and out of an abandoned house deep withing the forest" this woman had green hair, fair skin, and wore a short, greyish blue dress under a long, purple cloak, this was miss Longueville, the headmaster's secretary.

"As swift and diligent as always, miss longueville!" Praised the headmaster, to wich the secretary simply nodded and continued "based on that testimony, i was able to draw this" she then proceeded to show us a sheet of paper with a crudely drawn image of fouquet, the woman that i fought on a golem's head.

The group of studends huddles around drawing, with me standing at the back. "What do you think?" Asks the headmaster "That's fouquet, i'm sure of it!" Answers louise, to wich the rest of the nobles in the room start fidgeting nervously, most of them were old, withering humans "let's report this to the palace, we will ask the knights to depart straight away" Colbert, who was also present, proposes, to wich the headmaster disagreed, saying "if we take too long, fouquet will get away. We will reclaim the staff of destruction, and the academy's honor with our own hands! Those who wish to volunteer, please raise your wands!"

Nobody raised their wand, like i said, they were old, and withering, i couldn't blame them, but the headmaster could, he said "well? Are there no nobles in this room who wish to gain fame by capturing fouquet?" After hearing this, Louise, of all people, raised her wand, saying "i'll go!" the headmaster looked shocked, proclaiming "miss Vallière?"

Kirche raised her wand as well, saying "i'll go as well!" Wich did not surprise me, not inthe least. "Zerbst?" Louise asked, surprised "i can't lose to a Vallière." She proclaimed smugly, before she looked behind Louise and adopting a surprised expression as well "Tabitha?" She asked, wich prodded Louise to turn around, and seeing that Tabitha had a wand raised as well "you don't have to, you know, this is our problem" Kirche said, to wich Tabitha responded "worried about the two of you" this surprised Louise and Zerbst "Tabitha..." "thank you" they both said.

The headmaster chuckeled, saying "then i'll leave the matter with the three of you" he then indicated Tabitha and Louise while speaking the rest of his cattle "these two have seen fouquet, also miss Tabitha, despite her young age, is a knight with the title of chevalier." Chevalier... Must be a great honor, if the surprised looks from everyone is any indication, Tabitha simply nodded, and the headmaster turned to Kirche "additionaly, miss Zerbst is from one of Germania's famous military families and i've heard her flames are quite strong as well, her familiar, too, is not one to be trifeled with, as He fought fouquet by Himself ontop her golem!" This surprised the rest of the headmaster's cattle "and he's the legendary mjö-" Colbert wished to say something but interrupted himself.

Osmond then turned to Louise, though he seemed to hesitate, and went as far as to fake a cough "and lastly... Well... miss Vallière is a direct descendant of the Vallière family, wich has produced many fine mages, and.. What should i say..." Louise started to look irritated and the headmaster was using a hankerchief to wipe away sweat, yet another impractical human trait "and... Has a bright future... Yes! That's right! I heard her familiar is a swordsman that overpowered Guiche de Gramont, son of Marshal Gramont!" Louise looked rather... Displeased "ah yes! And he's the legendary gan-" Colbert wished to announce something yet again, but he stopped himself from revealing what, again, wich prodded a curious look from Longueville.

"The academy of magic looks forward to seeing you commitment and effort as nobles!" The headmaster said as all the students raised their wands, it was then that Longueville stepped up "old osmond, i'd like to acompany them as a guide" she said, "will you do so, miss Longueville?"

"I had planned to do so all along..."

 **Half an hour later, same world, road through the forest, 3rd person pov**

The carriage in wich Kirche, Louise, Saito, Tabitha, Longueville, and King Ravik were riding on groaned under His weight, but it held fast. "Zerbst!" Louise called out "your familiar is nearly crushing the carriage, make it walk!" She demanded, Kirche faked shock, and responded with "absolutely not! My dear familiar deserves better than to walk while we ride!" It was about to escalate into a full argument when Saito interrupted.

"Hey" Saito called out to louise who prodded him to speak "if Fouquet can use magic, she's an aristocrat, right? Why is a noble stealing stuff?" Was his question, to wich Longueville surprisingly answered with "not all mages are nobles, there are many nobles who became commoners for their own reasons, among them are those that devote themselves to becoming mercenaries or criminals, i ,too, have lost the title of noble"

This prods some surprised looks from the occupants of the carriage, sans King Ravik and Tabitha, Kirche decides to speak up. "But you're the secretary of old Osmond!" To wich Longueville answeres "he doesn't play favourites with commoners and nobles."

"How did you lose your title, miss Longueville?" Kirche asks, not recieving an answer "come on, i want to know!" She presses on, but is stopped by louise, who says "you're being rude, Zerbst!" The two then go on to bicker with each other as they usually do, dragging Saito into the argument as well, the good king and the bookworm had better things to do than to listen to it.

 **30 minutes later, same world, near Fouquet's hideout, King Ravik 1st person pov**

Finally, we had arrived, i grew weary of having to be near the bickering mages, at one point Kirche decided it was apropriate to compare _me_ to Saito, seeing as how we both had two swords on our person now, i fixed her with a hard glare, to wich she dropped the subject.

We were now at the shack we suspected to be Fouquet's hideout, it didn't look like much, but that's why i had to be cautious, humans, however primitive, were very crafty creatures, and this one had magic. Saito and i were checking the inside of the shack through the windows, when we saw that nobody was there, we beckoned the rest of the group, Tabitha then walked over to the shack and checked it for traps by using a spell, "there are no traps." was her answer, to this, we headed inside, while Louise stood guard with Longueville.

It was cramped for me due to my height, and incredibly dusty, wich was further proven when Saito sneezed, and dust flew everywhere, "haa! There's nothing around here! Tabitha, Saito, Ravik, let's go back outside!" Kirche proposed, i wished to protest, we hadn't checked everywhere yet, but Tabitha beat me to it when she said "staff of destruction" we all turned to see Tabitha holding a big, purple case, it was easily 2 feet taller than her, and just as wide.

Kirche extended a hand to open the lock on the case, but we all turned our heads when we heard Louise scream, and the roof was smashed away by a giant golem, it was similar to the one that Fouquet used to attack the academy, so i could only assume this was her handywork as well.

Tabitha steppd in front of us and used a her magic to summon a tornado against the golem, it had no effect, Kirche tried next, using a large stream of fire, the golem staggered, but was unharmed by the attack. Saito and i saw Louise standing behind the golem, wand raised, and then she used a spell, it hardly had any effect other than draw the golem's attention, Saito was yelling at Louise to run, but she stood her ground and tried, but failed, again.

Now the golem was taking a swing at her, the runes all over my armor begin glowing as i dash to Louise and block the golem's fist with my straightsword "listen to your familiar, girl, and run." I spoke calmly, wich didn't fit this situation "why should i listen to the familiar of Zerbst?" She asked with an air of hostility, i was about to answer when Saito pushes her out of the way of the second hit that the golem launched at us, seeing as how Louise was out of the way, i simply sidestepped, and continued to do so until Louise and Saito finished their little talk in the middle of battle, after wich, Louise got on Tabitha's dragon, wich she called during that fight, and flew off, leaving Saito and me to fend for ourselves.

Saito drew his golden sword, honestly, a _golden_ sword, how impractical, and charged at the golem, the sword broke on the first hit, as expected. Deciding i had enough, i walked towards the golem, but not before i heard Saito's other, rustier, sword talk. i was surprised at this, a talking weapon, i have never seen anything like that. drawing the rusty sword, Saito charged at the golem, it cut flawlessly, this mildly surprised me.

Louise, having seen the whole thing, decided it was a good idea to jump down from Tabitha's dragon, the staff's case had fallen to the ground, revealing a...

A halbert?

It was most definetly not a staff, but a decrepit, rust covered, halbert. To any human, the "staff" might have looked like an ordinary piece of junk, but any Khalingarian would recognise it as "death sentence" the weapon/catalyst of Kargul, the plaguebringer, how did it get here? I had not time to ponder as the golem launched another attack, Louise was swinging death sentence around like one would any staff, it was, ofcourse, unknown to her that only an armor spirit could use a Khalingarian catalyst, so she swung, and swung, until Saito pushed her out of the way, and grabbed death sentence himself, he took a few swings at the golem, it was damaged, ofcourse, seeing as how death sentence was part weapon, but only a khalingarian could bring it's full might to bear.

Deciding i had enough of this sacriligeous display, i called out to Saito "boy! The weapon! Throw me the weapon!" Saito looked confused, but did as he was told, and death sentence landed in my hands, it felt good to have a true Khalingarian catalyst in hand again, using it, i would bring death and decay to this foe and all those that follow after!

I held death sentence in front of me, horizontally with an outstretched arm, i felt my inner power flow through my armor runes, and then through the catalyst, death sentence's iconic green fog oozed from the blade, it recognized a true armor spirit's soul!

Pointing death sentence's pike towards the golem, i spoke one word **"decay"** there was a brief ripple across the fabric of reality, originating from death sentence's pike, and then the golem crumbeled, and it's stones turned to dust, the grass around me dried up and died, and some trees near me lost their leaves.

The group was looking at me in great surprise "h-how..." Was the most common muttering among a myriad of others that escaped their mouths. "This weapon, death sentence, belonged to one of my subordinates" i didn't get much farther than that when death sentence was wresteled from my grasp, it was now in the hands of Longueville, who i had now deduced to be Fouquet "well, well, you are quite the powerful mage, aren't you? To take my golem down with one spell, no matter, you'll be powerless without this!" She said as the indicated death sentence, i resisted the urge to laugh "try it, human, i dare you." I challenged, she pointed death sentence, wich had stopped oozing it's fog, at me and said "decay".

a moment passed.

then another.

and then Fouquet tried again "decay! Decay! Decay! Why won't it work you stupid rusty piece of junk!" She pointed at me "you! You did something! Tell me why it won't work!" She said, to wich i responded "that is a Khalingarian catalyst, it was made for beings like myself, armor spirits, and it will only bend to one such being's will, you are human, death sentence will not obey the likes of you" was my answer, she then screamed as she took a swing at me, i easily caught death sentence and ripped it from her grasp.

 **(What follows may require me to bump this story's rating to M, but i'm not sure, someone tell me if i need to)**

I swung at Fouquet, purposly scratching her cheeck, she cringed, but then looked amused and said "is that all? i expected a better swing from someone wit-" was as far as she got as she suddenly got on all fours and puked on the ground, the flesh around the wound made by death sentence started to turn green, and her veins turned black "what did you do to me..." She uttered weakly, i responded with a hint of malice in my voice "there is a reason why death sentence is named the way it is, you'll discover it soon enough." Death sentence, truly it was a fitting name, once you were so much as scratched by it, your fate is sealed, you've been sentenced to death **(i'm not sorry for that unintentional pun)**

Those were the last words Fouquet heard as the disease ran it's course, her body bloated, her skin turned a sickly shade of green, her hair fell out, her eyes whitened and her teeth blackened, boils covered her skin that leaked white-ish pus, and then she perished, her lifeless, malformed body hitting the dead grass.

I turned to observe the reactions from the group, Saito looked disturbed, louise found a nearby bush to vomit behind, Kirche looked ready to join Louise, and Tabitha looked indiffrent, though her eyes slightly widened.

"It's called death sentence for a reason"

 **Same time, Khalingar, Queen Annabelle's castle (formerly King Ravik's castle), throne room, Annabelle 1st person pov**

I sitting on my throne, fantasizing about my life at the side of my beloved King Ravik, until i was suddenly ripped from my thoughts by an echo, but not one that would occasionaly haunt the throne room, no, this echo came from across the fabric of reality, i felt it, **"decay"** the echo sounded softly, but that sheer intensity, that could only have been my beloved Ravik! He was still alive!

 **And i'm just gonna end it right there, so if you haven't noticed, i based Kargul the plaguebringer on the death guard traitor legion from warhammer 40k, specifically Typhus, host of the destroyer hive, just thought it'd be a nice idea. As for why i didn't pick Brimir's staff as the staff of destruction like i said, believe it or not, "disease ridden armor spirit that was transported to another world and leaves his weapon there" was easier to explain than whatever i could have used for Brimir. One last thing, i was thinking about adding little codex entries on the Khalingarians, stuff like notable figures in Khalingar history, traditions, armor spirit reproduction, that sort of thing, at the end of each chapter, lemme know what you think, ta!**


End file.
